Medieval Britain c.1250–c.1500

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  • Medieval Britain c.1250–c.1500
    • The British Isles
      • Medieval Britain was divided up into individual kingdoms
      • England & Scotland where run by separate monarchs and governments
        • This created frequent conflict between these neighbouring countries
        • England also governed ireland & Wales
          • English lords controlled land for the English King
    • The Rural Economy
      • 90% of the population in late medieval England Lived in the countryside
        • there where a few bigger towns but most were small withe fewer than 3000 inhabitants
      • Land  was divided into special estates called manors
        • Each manor was controlled my a lord  who was incharge of the peasants who lived in their land
      • New markets started appearing in the 13th century
        • Locals produced things like ale , bread and textiles to sell
        • Most trade was local , but there were some long-distance links in England with Europe
    • The Power of Church an Elite Landowneras
      • Late medieval society was very unequal and based on social hierarchy
        • A very small number of noble landowners and bishops ruled over a big population of poor peasants who worked the land
      • Political power was relate to land ownership
        • The king often called leading men (e.g. noble landowners) to form a parliament to help him rule
        • The Church owned loads of land, so it had lot of power
          • Bishops often sat in parliament and advised the king
    • Conflict And Disaster From The 14th Century
      • Conflict
        • England was involved in The Hundred Years' war against France 1337-1453
        • There was a civil war over the English throne between 1455 and 1487 which is known as The War Of The Roses
      • Disasters
        • Europe's climate cooled down- winters got colder and summers got wetter
          • This made it hard for for peopel t grow enugh food and there was a massive famine across Europe after crops failed in 1315
        • A very contagious a deadly plague called the Black  Death spread across Europe
          • It reached England in 1384 and killed a large sum of peopel
          • The population declined as a result of the famine and the Black Death so there were fewer people to farm the land
            • Peasants were able to demand better wages and working conditions from their lords
              • The social structure of Enland started to change as losrds had less control over peasnts
    • Limited Diets
      • Peasants only produced what they needed to survive-subsistence farming
        • There was little spare food and one bad harvest could lead to a disaster
      • people who lived next to lakes and rivers could catch fresh fish but fresh meat was hard to get
      • Peasants often kept cows to make dairy products
      • Bad weather made it harder to grow crops and could damage stored food
        • Poisonous fungus could grow on damp grain and end up in flour
      • Many peope where malnourished and many people starved especially when crop failures led to a major famine
      • Malnutrition also made people more likely to catch diseases
    • Housing Conditions
      • Most houses were small with only 1-2 rooms. They had wooden frames and the walls were built using sticks and clay. The roofs were thatched and the floor was hard earth
      • An open fire was used for heating and cooking - this was a poor source of heat and the smoke was breathed in by in by the people of the hous
      • glass was expensive so only the wealthy had window. Most houses had openings covered by shutters
        • This meant the houses were dark, cold and stuffy
      • Wealthy [people could afford castles and large manor houses.These gradually got more comfortable as big glass windows and large fire place were made
      • Most medieval houses had no running water or toilets
        • There were no sewers so people just threw their waste into the streets or a river
        • Most water for drinking and cooking came from wells, rivers and streams
      • People often lived in cramp housing conditions with their families and animals so diseases spread quickly
    • The Black Death
      • Pneumonic plague
        • Airborne- spread by coughs and sneezes
        • Attacked the lungs making it painful to breathe and causing the victim to cough up blood
      • Bubonic plague
        • Spread by bites of fleas from rats on ships
        • Caused headaches and temperature followed by pus-filled swelling on the skin
      • The Theory Of The Four Humours - Hippocrates
        • Hippocrates believed that the body consisted of four fluids - blood, phlegm, yellow bile & black bile. These were linked to the four seasons and four element and to be in health, these had to be balanced
        • Tried to cure it through blood letting and purging
      • The miasma theory is he idea that bad air causes disease when someone breathes it in
        • This miasma comes from human wste or dead bodies - anything that causes a bad smelll
        • Carried strong smelling herbs and lit fires to purify the air
        • In 1349 Edward II sent an order to the Lord Mayor to remove filth from the streets in hopes to get rid of bad smell
      • Some people believed that it was judgment from God and disease was caused by sin
        • Tried to cure it through prayer and fasting
      • Believers in astrology carried around diamonds and rubies which they believed would protect them from the Black Death
      • People carried around charms or used "magic" potions containing arsenic
  • Conflict And Disaster From The 14th Century
    • Conflict
      • England was involved in The Hundred Years' war against France 1337-1453
      • There was a civil war over the English throne between 1455 and 1487 which is known as The War Of The Roses
    • Disasters
      • Europe's climate cooled down- winters got colder and summers got wetter
        • This made it hard for for peopel t grow enugh food and there was a massive famine across Europe after crops failed in 1315
      • A very contagious a deadly plague called the Black  Death spread across Europe
        • It reached England in 1384 and killed a large sum of peopel
        • The population declined as a result of the famine and the Black Death so there were fewer people to farm the land
          • Peasants were able to demand better wages and working conditions from their lords
            • The social structure of Enland started to change as losrds had less control over peasnts

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